d20 Modern System Reference Document



BASIC CHARACTER CLASSES

There are 6 basic character classes in d20 Modern SRD. The classes are:

  1. The Strong Hero: Powerful and good at combat, the strong hero typically relies on a high strength score.
  2. The Fast Hero: Quick and nimble, the fast hero typically relies on a high dexterity score.
  3. The Tough Hero: Able to shrug off the most damage, the tough hero typically relies on a high constitution score.
  4. The Smart Hero: Brilliant and skillful, the smart hero typically relies on a high intelligence score.
  5. The Dedicated Hero: Strong willed and alert, the dedicated hero typically relies on a high wisdom score.
  6. The Charismatic Hero: As charming smooth talkers, charismatic heroes typically rely on high charisma scores.

BASIC CLASS DESCRIPTIONS

Ability

This entry tells which ability is typically associated with that class.

Hit Die

The die type used by characters of the class to determine the number of hit points gained per level.

A player rolls one die of the given type each time his or her character gains a new level. The character’s Constitution modifier is applied to the roll. Add the result to the character’s hit point total. Even if the result is 0 or lower, the character always gains at least 1 hit point. A 1st-level character gets the maximum hit points rather than rolling (although the Constitution modifier is still applied).

Action Points

The number of action points gained per level.

Class Skills

This section of a class description provides a list of class skills and also gives the number of skill points the character starts with at 1st level and the number of skill points gained each level thereafter. A character’s Intelligence modifier is applied to determine the total skill points gained each level (but always at least 1 point per level, even for a character with an Intelligence penalty).

A 1st-level character starts with 4 times the number of skill points he or she receives upon attaining each level beyond 1st. The maximum ranks a character can have in a class skill is the character’s level +3.

A character can also buy skills from other classes’ skill lists. Each skill point buys a half rank in these cross-class skills, and a character can only buy up to half the maximum ranks of a class skill.

Starting Feats

The feats gained at 1st level in the class.

Class Table

This table details how a character improves as he or she attains higher levels in the class. It includes the following information.

Level

The character’s level in the class.

Base Attack Bonus

The character’s base attack bonus and number of attacks.

Fort Save

The base save bonus for Fortitude saving throws. The character’s Constitution modifier also applies.

Ref Save

The base save bonus for Reflex saving throws. The character’s Dexterity modifier also applies.

Will Save

The base save bonus for Will saving throws. The character’s Wisdom modifier also applies.

Class Features

Level-dependent class features, each explained in the section that follows.

Defense Bonus

The character’s bonus to Defense. The character’s Dexterity modifier and equipment bonus also applies.

Reputation Bonus

The character’s base Reputation bonus.

Class Features

This entry details special characteristics of the class, including bonus feats and unique talents, that are gained as a character attains higher levels in the class.

Talents

Every basic class offers a selection of talents to choose from. A character gains a talent upon attaining each odd-numbered level in a class (including 1st level). Talents are considered to be extraordinary abilities. Some talents have prerequisites that must be met before a character can select them.

Bonus Feats

Every basic class offers a selection of bonus feats to choose from. A character gains a bonus feat upon attaining each even-numbered level in a class. These bonus feats are in addition to the feats that all characters receive as they attain new levels. Some feats have prerequisites that must be met before a character can select them.

MULTICLASS CHARACTERS

A character may add new classes as he or she progresses in levels, thereby becoming a multiclass character. The class abilities from all of a character’s classes combine to determine a multiclass character’s overall abilities.

Class and Level Features

As a general rule, the abilities of a multiclass character are the sum of the abilities provided by each of the character’s classes.

Level

Character level” is a character’s total number of levels. It is used to determine when feats and ability score increases are gained.

Class level” is the character’s level in a particular class. For a hero whose levels are all in the same class, character level and class level are the same.

Hit Points

A hero gains hit points from each class as his or her class level increases, adding the new hit points to the previous total.

Base Attack Bonus

Add the base attack bonuses for each class to get the hero’s base attack bonus. A resulting value of +6 or higher provides the hero with multiple attacks.

Table: Base attack bonus and extra attacks

Base attack bonus Modifiers
+6 +1
+7 +2
+8 +3
+9 +4
+10 +5
+11 +6/+1
+12 +7/+2
+13 +8/+3
+14 +9/+4
+15 +10/+5
+16 +11/+6/+1
+17 +12/+7/+2
+18 +13/+8/+3
+19 +14/+9/+4
+20 +15/+10/+5

To use multiple attacks in the same round, a character must use a full attack, which is a full-round action.

Saving Throws

Add the base save bonuses for each class together.

Defense Bonus

Add the Defense bonuses for each class together.

Reputation Bonus

Add Reputation bonuses together.

Skills

A multiclass hero uses his or her character level to determine the maximum ranks the hero can have in a skill. If a skill is a class skill for any of a multiclass hero’s classes, then use character level to determine a skill’s maximum rank. (The maximum rank for a class skill is 3 + character level.)

When a multiclass hero gains a level in a class, he or she spends that level’s skill points as a member of that class. Only that class’s class skills may be purchased as class skills. All other skills, including skills for another class the hero has levels in, are considered cross-class skills when ranks in those skills are purchased at this level.

Class Features

The character gets all class features (talents, bonus feats, or other special abilities) of all classes for the levels he or she possesses.

Feats

A multiclass character receives a new feat every three character levels, regardless of individual class level. Taking one level in a new class does not entitle a character to receive the two feats that a beginning 1st-level character gets.

Ability Increases

A multiclass character increases one ability score by +1 every four character levels, regardless of individual class level.

Adding a Second Class

When a character with one class gains a level, he or she may choose to increase the level of his or her current class or pick up a new class at 1st level. This could be a basic class or, if the character qualifies for it, an advanced class.

The character gains the 1st-level base attack bonus, base save bonuses, class skills, other class features of the new class, hit points of the appropriate die type, and the new class’s number of skill points gained at each additional level (not that number x4, as is the case for a 1st-level character).

Picking up a new class is not exactly the same as starting a character in that class. When picking up a new class, a hero doesn’t receive maximum hit points but should roll the new Hit Die.

Advancing a Level

Each time a multiclass character attains a new level, the hero either increases one of his or her current class levels by one or picks up a new class at 1st level.

When a multiclass character increases one of his or her class levels by one, the character gets all the standard benefits that characters receive for attaining the new level in that class: more hit points, possible bonuses on attack rolls, Defense, and saving throws (depending on the class and the new level), a new class feature (as defined by the class), and new skill points.

Skill points are spent according to the class that the multiclass character just advanced in. Skills are purchased at the cost appropriate for that class.


In general, a character can have levels in as many different classes as there are classes.